THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has issued a stern warning to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), cautioning that the party risks self-destruction if it attempts to reintegrate former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Speaking during a live media chat on Monday, the former Rivers State governor accused the PDP of repeating errors that cost it dearly in the 2023 general elections, insisting that the opposition must embrace equity and justice if it hopes to regain national relevance ahead of the 2027 polls.
Wike recalled how he and other aggrieved party leaders had raised alarms prior to the 2023 elections, warning that allowing both the presidential candidate and the national chairman to emerge from the North was “politically suicidal.”
“From day one, I told my colleagues, PDP, you are shooting yourself. If you allow what is going on to continue, you’ll pay. And what did I say? You cannot have the presidential candidate at the same time as the national chairman of the party,” he said.
The minister accused the PDP of “stealing” both positions in violation of zoning principles and ignoring repeated calls for balance.
“It is better now you have stolen the presidential ticket and again stole the national chairman. I said it will purge you. And it really purged them. I have no regret for it,” Wike declared.
Reiterating his long-held position, Wike stressed that the presidency must rotate back to the South to ensure fairness, political stability, and national unity.
According to him, PDP’s arrogance, disregard for internal warnings, and refusal to apply zoning arrangements have left the party weakened and vulnerable.
“The only way for PDP to regain credibility is through equity, justice, and zoning,” he maintained.
Turning to speculation that Peter Obi, who left the PDP in 2022 before running on the Labour Party’s ticket in 2023, could be lured back to the opposition party, Wike dismissed the idea as both hypocritical and dangerous.
“To what? Bringing Obi to where? You want to kill the party? Obi that was abusing the party, saying it is rotten, so the party is now good enough for him? Ambition can make people even go to Satan’s house,” Wike remarked.
He argued that such a move would further erode the PDP’s credibility and ideological foundation.
“If you want to destroy this party, dare it bring Obi. There’s no way he will come back just because of ambition. No more ideology, no longer principle,” he warned.